U.S. Women Earn Two Top-10 Finishes at Hamburg

HAMBURG, Germany — Americans Laura Bennett and Sarah Groff stayed with the lead pack to nab top-10 finishes in Sunday's 2010 Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series race.

After a fast start on the swim, Bennett (Boulder, Colo.) crossed the finish line in seventh place with a time of 1 hour, 54 minutes, 4 seconds. This is her second straight top-10 finish following her sixth place in last month's Hy-Vee ITU Triathlon Elite Cup.

Groff (Boulder, Colo.) finished just behind Bennett in eighth with a time of 1:54:36, racking up her second top-10 finish of the season after finishing fifth in the season opener in Mooloolaba back in March. Bennett and Groff sit 18th and 21st in the WCS rankings, falling in as the second and third-ranked Americans behind Sarah Haskins (Colorado Springs, Colo.) who did not race in Hamburg.

Jenna Shoemaker (Boulder, Colo.) finished in 23rd place, ahead of Jillian Petersen (St. Louis, Mo.), who was 39th, and Margaret Shapiro (Herndon, Va.), who took 49th.

Lisa Norden of Sweden led the way to the finish line with a last-minute sprint to take the win in 1:53:53, barely edging out last year's champion, Australian Emma Moffatt.

After leading the group out of the water, Bennett continued to fight throughout the race. In the last 5k of the run, Moffatt drove the pace and cut the lead group down to eight women, which included Bennett. Bennett finished with a strong run split of 34:29. Groff reeled in the competition to finish her run in 34:57.

For more information on the Hamburg ITU World Championship Series races, including recaps and full results from both days of action, visit triathlon.org.

The seven-race WCS is key for the United States' top triathletes hoping for a spot on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team. In addition to racing for WCS points, athletes look to score points toward securing a spot for their country at the 2012 Olympic Triathlon in London.

The next WCS event will take place in London next weekend.

Women's Results - click here for full results
1. Lisa Norden (SWE), 1:53:53
2. Emma Moffatt (AUS), 1:53:53
3. Aileen Morrison (IRL), 1:53:55

United States Finishers
7. Laura Bennett (Boulder, Colo.), 1:54:04
8. Sarah Groff (Boulder, Colo.), 1:54:36
23. Jenna Shoemaker (Boulder, Colo.), 1:56:27
39. Jillian Petersen (St. Louis, Mo.) 1:59:37
49. Margaret Shapiro (Herndon, Va.), 2:02:20

About USA Triathlon
USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon - one of the fastest growing sports in the world - as well as duathlon, aquathlon and winter triathlon in the United States. USAT sanctions 3,100 races and connects with more than 133,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches, and race directors on the grassroots level, USAT provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Championships, Pan American Games and the Summer Olympic Games.